2of16More than a dozen Houston TV personalities have made it to the big time. We've compiled a list of reporters, anchors, meteorologists and other on-air faces that have gone on to national fame. Keep clicking to see if you recognize any of these big names.Photo: houston Chronicle Photo, houston Chronicle

3of16Jim NantzFrom 1981 to 1983, Nantz was a sports anchor and reporter for Houston's KHOU-TV. After that, he became an NFL and PGA commentator for CBS Sports.

4of16Linda EllerbeeFrom 1972 to 1973, Ellerbee was a reporter for Houston's KHOU-TV. After that, she went on to anchor and report for a variety of national programs on NBC and ABC. She is perhaps best known for hosting "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee" on Nickelodeon.

5of16Dan RatherSometime in the 1950s and '60s, Rather was an anchor and reporter for Houston's KTRK-TV, the Houston Chronicle and KHOU-TV. After leaving Houston, he became a reporter for CBS News and would later helm the "CBS Evening News" program for 24 years. He has since retired but still makes appearances on national TV from time to time.

6of16Dennis Murphy (3rd from the left)From 1975 to 1978, Murphy was an assignments editor, producer and reporter for Houston's KHOU-TV. After that, he went on to become a regular correspondent for a number of NBC News programs, most notably "Dateline NBC."

7of16Rick SanchezFrom 1986 to 1988, Sanchez was a reporter for Houston's KHOU-TV. After that, he joined MSNBC as a reporter and anchor and later moved to CNN where he would anchor his own program "Rick's List." He was terminated from CNN after several controversies over perceived racially insensitive or anti-Semitic remarks. Since then, he has contributed to Fox News and it's Latino-affiliate MundoFox.

8of16Jessica SavitchFrom 1970 to 1971, Savitch was the first female reporter for Houston's KHOU-TV. After reporting and anchoring in Houston and Philadelphia, she became a Senate reporter and briefly an anchor for NBC News. She died in 1983 after her car flipped into a Pennsylvania canal.

9of16Janet Shamlian (right)From 1987 to 1997, Shamlian was reporter and weekend anchor for Houston's KHOU-TV and KPRC-TV respectively. After that, she became a reporter for NBC News programs, including the "Today Show" and "NBC Nightly News."

10of16Paula ZahnFrom 1981 to 1983, Zahn was an anchor for Houston's KPRC-TV. After that, she went on to anchor national news programs on ABC, CBS, Fox News and CNN. Currently, she hosts "On the Case with Paula Zahn" on the Investigation Discovery channel.

11of16John QuiñonesFrom 1975 to 1978, Quiñones was a reporter and anchor for Houston's KPRC-TV. After stints in Chicago and Miami, he joined ABC News as a general assignments reporter and would later host the program "Primetime: What Would You Do?"

12of16Spencer TillmanFrom 1987 to 1997, the former Houston Oilers running back was a sports reporter and anchor for Houston's KPRC-TV. After that, Tillman became an analyst for CBS Sports' "College Football Today" until his departure in March 2015. He contributes to Texans coverage on Houston's KTRK-TV.

13of16Chris WraggeFrom 1998 to 2004, Wragge was a sports director for Houston's KPRC-TV. After Houston, he moved to New York and later became an anchor for CBS News' "The Early Show" until 2011. Today, he anchors the nightly newscast for New York City's WLNY-TV.

14of16Jim McKrellPrior to joining Houston's KIAH-TV as a reporter and later anchor, McKrell was an accomplished TV game show host, corporate spokesman and actor with appearances on "The Twilight Zone" and "General Hospital."Photo: Alice S. Hall, NBC, NBCU Photo Bank, Getty Images

15of16Jonathan NovackFrom 2007 to 2010, Novack was a meteorologist for Houston's KPRC-TV. He later left to become a contestant on ABC's "The Bachelorette" and a host for "On the Red Carpet." He is currently a meteorologist for Los Angeles' KABC-TV.

Trey Wingo has always been a night owl, which is not necessarily a good foundation for someone whose new job will require him to greet the day at 3:30 a.m. ET.

Wingo will join Mike Golic as co-host of ESPN Radio's morning drive time show beginning at 5 a.m. CT weekdays starting Monday. In Houston, the Golic-Wingo show can be heard from 5-7 a.m. at 97.5 FM and from 7-9 a.m. at 97.5-2 FM/94.1 FM.

He succeeds Golic's longtime on-air partner, Mike Greenberg, who will launch an ESPN morning show next year with Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose.

"Naps will be important," said Wingo, the Baylor University graduate who has been at ESPN since 1997.

Alas, naps will be in short supply for awhile. Wingo will continue hosting "NFL Live" and "NFL Prime Time" through the Super Bowl. Afterward, he will cut back to one "NFL Live" show per week plus the NFL Draft, the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction and other special events.

Other than the early start time, the transition should be painless. Wingo has been the regular guest host for Greenberg and Golic, and Golic and Wingo both live in the same Connecticut town about a mile and a half from ESPN.

"Our kids grew up together and were in the same youth football program, so there will be no awkward dance with Golic," Wingo said. "When you have a chance to do something new after 20 years at the same company, it's exciting.

"I'm not a hot take guy. I don't throw out declarative statements that can't be proven just to have an argument. We will have a nuanced discussion based on information. If you're looking for somebody to scream and yell, we're not doing that."

He will be able to expand his horizons beyond the NFL, which means he can talk about his alma mater. Wingo was dismayed by the revelations of misconduct under the Art Briles regime but hopes that Matt Rhule eventually will bring the Bears back.

"It definitely has not been great," Wingo said. "People keep telling me that the alphabet has more 'w's' than Baylor, which is not fun to hear. But I'm hopeful that Matt will get things going, and this time, we need to get it right."

Wingo also was dismayed by the untimely end to the season for Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

"He threw more (touchdown) passes than Dan Marino did in his first seven games, and (Seattle's) Richard Sherman texted me that he had the best game he had seen by any quarterback they played," Wingo said. "And he's a great young man, so to see him go down was just the worst."

Wingo and Golic will be simulcast on ESPN2 before being moved next year to ESPNU. The presence of cameras, however, does not mean he plans to dress for the occasion.

"The idea for both of us is to look so slovenly that you think of Chris Berman," he said. "I will look as if I've been out on the street for four or five hours."

New ESPN Radio lineup

ESPN Radio is retooling the rest of its lineup, adding two other new shows in addition to the Wingo-Golic program. Other than the late night and early morning shows, most will not be heard on local affiliate KFNC.

ESPN said it also will launch new podcasts hosted by Bomani Jones, new hire Katie Nolan and Jalen Rose and David Jacoby.

Zierlein returns Monday

While Trey Wingo and Mike Golic debut their new partnership Monday, Lance Zierlein will renew his longtime association with John Granato on the Gow Broadcasting stations 97.5 FM and 97.5-2 FM/94.1 FM.

Zierlein and Granato will start work at 7 a.m., an hour later than most morning drive-time shows, owing to Zierlein's understandable desire for an extra hour's sleep. Zierlein will work until 9:30 a.m. and said the 2½-hour duration of the show will benefit the hosts and listeners.

"We will be more fast-paced," he said. "Because it's more of a sprint, you don't have to save anything and you won't get tired of topics.

"It's a lot different than doing a four-hour show. Now you're like a closer coming in throwing 100-mph fastballs. You can go as fast as you want, which will be good from an energy standpoint, and the listeners will benefit."

The final (9-10 a.m.) hour of Zierlein-Granato, the Golic-Wingo show and the final (6-7 p.m.) hour of the Fred Faour-A.J Hoffman show will be either split between 97.5 FM and 94.1 FM or simulcast, which station owner David Gow embraces even though has the potential to confuse listeners where scheduling is concerned.

Maybe Gow and his minions should come up with something that resembles the days of Dallas-Fort Worth radio when WBAP and WFAA shared the 570 AM and 820 AM frequencies. When it came time to switch from one station to another, they would ring a cowbell on the air. Seriously.

Elmendorf unsure about return

As Dave South prepares for his final regular-season game calling radio play by play for Texas A&M football, analyst Dave Elmendorf also is considering his future options.

Elmendorf said he has had conversations with Learfield Sports, which owns the Aggies' broadcast rights, "but we didn't resolve anything. I'm still thinking about it. I'm sure a decision will come in the offseason."

That decision will be made by Jon Heidtke, who manages Learfield's association with A&M and is the former general manager of Fox Sports Southwest.

Four DVRs, no waiting

The Texans' rating slump continues despite their win last Sunday over the Cardinals, which generated a 16.3 Nielsen rating and 37 share on KRIV (Channel 26). Once again, and I'm only sort of halfway joking, it's those long sermons and late Sunday lunches doing them in. the first half-hour averaged a 12.1 rating and the first hour a 13.5 rating. ... ESPN/ABC announcer pairings this week include Dave LaMont-Mack Brown on Navy-Houston, Steve Levy-Brian Griese on West Virginia-Oklahoma and Tom Hart-Jordan Rodgers on Texas A&M-LSU. ... Michael McCarthy at The Sporting News reports that ESPN will have another round of layoffs after Thanksgiving in an attempt to shed $80 million in salaries and other costs. ... Bloomberg News has joined Sports Business Daily in reporting that Verizon is wrapping up a new streaming deal with the NFL that will allow it to deliver broadcasts to larger screens, including tablets and TVs but will end its exclusivity on mobile device streaming. ... Joe Gibbs will be profiled on NFL Network's "A Football Life" at 8 p.m. Friday. Remaining profiles this season will feature Jerry Jones on Dec. 1, Aeneas Williams on Dec. 8, Hearne native John Randle on Dec. 15 and Lynn Swann/John Stallworth on Dec. 22.

David Barron reports on sports media, college football and Olympic sports for the Houston Chronicle. He joined the Houston Chronicle in 1990 after stints at the Dallas bureau of United Press International (1984-90), the Waco Tribune-Herald (1978-84) and the Tyler Morning Telegraph (1975-78). He has been a contributor to Dave Campbell's Texas Football since 1980, serving as high school editor from 1984 through 2000 and as Managing Editor from 1990 through 2004. A native of Tyler, he is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Austin.